Routing in aluminium

**Al Burdon** · 13th December 2003, 07:22 AM

A router is very much like a milling machine in that the cutter rotates and the job is fixed. With any type of cutting in this manner the important things are speed of bit rotation and speed of feed of material to the cutter. Wood and aluminium are both relatively soft materials and do not work harden to any great degree. Generally when starting a new job without exact references to ideal cutting and feeding speeds it is wise to go slowly.
Also high speed steel (most router bits including cheapies use this) was once once used extenstively for cutting all metals including stainless. The harder the material generally requires cooling or if not available slower feed rate to reduce heat build up.
What does all this mean.
1. Hold the job as securely as possible
2. Feed the router as smoothly as you can to reduce heat build up.
3. Use sharp tools
4. Any coolant will work it is a machine and safety issue not a material issue although there are better coolants for each job.
5. If no coolant go slow to avoid heat build up.
6. Always always always wear eye protection as the metal of cuts are hot and sharp .

Plus I would only use a wood router for Aluminium and light guage. For bigger stuff find a friendly fitter machinist

Al

**Glen Bridger** · 14th December 2003, 12:14 PM

Hi All,

One of the greatest concerns with routing Aluminium is what type of router you use. Remember that aluminium is conductive and your ELECTRIC router will have a cooling fan which draws ambient air in for cooling the motor. No doubt that some of the swarf from cutting will be draw into the router.

Food for thought.

The Aircraft Structural Fitters at work sometimes use a router to remove corrosion/damage from the thick milled panels on the aircraft. They use an air operated router and carbide die grinder bits. One guy operates the router and another applies cutting fluid.
A much safer option than an electric router.

Glen.

**Rocker** · 14th December 2003, 12:48 PM

It seems rather unlikely that the swarf would enter a router used in the hand-held mode on a workpiece clamped to a bench, since the air intake is at the top of the router and the down-draft would tend to blow the swarf downwards or sideways.

**Glen Bridger** · 14th December 2003, 01:28 PM

Hi Rocker,

Yeah your probably right, shouldn't be to much of a problem if used upright hand held. The problem would mainly exist if used in the table mode.

The reason I mentioned this was it reminded me about a story I read in the paper when I lived in Wagga.
A guy who worked in a Bullbar factory was electrocuted (and died) when he picked up an electric hand held sander/polisher.
The double insulated polisher had been used for so long the outer casing had been coated in aluminium dust and this eventually coated the inside as well. Until one day, a circuit was made and only required an EARTH, which was supplied by the guy when he picked it up. A RCD would have prevented this but hindsight is always a wonderful thing.

Glen

**soundman** · 17th December 2003, 12:22 PM

I personaly would be very hisitant to rout aluminium in any other position than very close to horisontal for varous reasons.

The chips do fly very well if not confined by the nature of the job.

I always wear full face protection and tape my collar shut to keep sharp hot bits out. But still the stuff gets in every where.

In this day & age anybody working with out earth leakage protection has rocks in their head.

Thread: Routing in aluminium

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Caution

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions